1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to repair equipment but more particularly to a device for handling tires being removed from a vehicle in the context of a service location.
2. Background of the Invention
Removing tires off a vehicle can be, in the long run, a source of work injury. Indeed, although tires are not exceedingly heavy, they do involve a series of movements that can be a source of injury due to the repetitiveness of certain movements or the imbalance incurred in the process of executing certain movements.
To remedy this situation, some inventors have come up with partial solutions to the problem.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,301,419 discloses a lift on which wheels are held by elongated members which are supported on both ends thus eliminating bending inherent in a cantilever support. Also, there is a means for supporting the wheels in an upright position while they are on the lift so that the wheels can be rotated for adjusting purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,038 discloses a wheel lift apparatus for supporting a load, comprising a mobile base frame having caster mounted side frame members telescopically extensible in a longitudinal direction, a cross frame member rigidly interconnecting the side frame members in laterally fixed, substantially parallel relationship, and vertical guide means projecting upwardly from the cross frame member; a lift frame vertically movable relative to the base frame including laterally spaced L-shaped lift arms having horizontal, load supporting arm members and vertical arm members interconnected by a lateral cross member, and slide means carried by the vertical arm members for cooperable action with the guide members of the base frame; a horizontally adjustable load contacting frame carried by the vertical arm members of the lift frame; and another vertically adjustable, load supporting frame carried by the base frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,035 discloses a tire changing tool and universal workstand for use in a tire store or mechanic shop that has a base having a vertically extending post attached thereto. The work support members include a vehicle wheel work support attachment removably attached to the top of the post for attaching and holding a vehicle wheel to the tire changing tool. The wheel attachment is attached to the post end so that the wheel can be fixedly attached and held in a horizontal plane. A tire removing tool is removably attached to one side of the post and positioned so that a wheel having a tire thereon can be placed adjacent the post so that the tire removing tool can be positioned adjacent the wheel rim flange against the tire and is leveraged for driving the tool to break the tire edge from the tire rim. The work support attachment is attached to the top of the vertically extending post with a post coupling having a square insert inserted into a square post top opening and having a flange cap thereover and having the vehicle wheel work support attached thereto. The wheel work support can be rapidly removed from the vertical post for converting the tire changing tool to a different type of work station.
These inventions only solve part of the problem and therefore, there is a need for a better tire changing apparatus.